A Light in the Darkness
by Paris in December
Summary: Harry's nervous about a date, and then things don't turn out quite as he expected. Written for the HPFC Sell me a Story Challenge. A little bit of het romance. Chapters: 1/1. Moonlight series.


**Author's Note:** Written for the "Sell me a Story" Challenge by SomethingWithMittens on the HPFC forum. Warning: AU.

Fun fact: Lavinia and Callista aren't OCs, and they're both in Harry's year. Any guesses as to their canon names? (;

* * *

><p>"There must be something wrong with me," said Harry. He was sitting cross-legged on his bed and staring moodily down at his hands while he picked at a stray thread on his blanket.<p>

His best friend, who had been lying back on his own bed and reading their Charms textbook, looked up with a raised eyebrow. "Why do you say that?"

"I can't have agreed to date a Gryffindor."

Theo closed his book and sat up, dangling one leg off the edge of his bed. "Well, you're not _exactly_ dating."

"Secretly dating is still dating," said Harry. He sighed and yanked at the thread with more energy until it ripped right out of the fabric. "I bet Dad will be furious."

"He doesn't have to find out. Anyway, I don't know what the problem is. You've been crushing on her since the beginning of the year," Theo said reasonably. "Have you worked out where you're going tonight?"

"I was going to take her to the Room of Requirement."

Theo nodded in approval. "That sounds like a good idea. Though you'll still need a house-elf or two to deliver the food. I don't think the room can cook."

Harry knew that was supposed to make him smile, but he couldn't quite get the corners of his mouth to turn up. "I'll sort it out, that's the easy part. I'm just worried that she won't like whatever I tell the room to make."

"Tell it to make something to appeal to her. It's a smart room, it should be able to handle it. You're cutting off circulation in that finger."

"What?" That last comment took Harry off guard. When he looked down, he saw that he'd managed to wrap the loose thread very tightly around his pointer finger. Flushing, he pulled it off and threw it onto the floor. "What if the room gets it wrong? What if she walks out on me?"

"Harry, she obviously likes you if she's agreed to go out in the first place," Theo pointed out. "Just relax! Besides, she's not exactly the most normal person. Trying to figure out what she would like based on your experiences with Lavinia and Callista will just make your head hurt."

Harry grimaced at the mention of his ex-girlfriends. "I've been trying very hard not to compare her to Lavinia."

"Look, mate, just trust me," said Theo calmly. "It'll be fine."

* * *

><p>"You see, I don't think the Headmaster considers my father to be much of a threat. That's why I was placed in Hufflepuff originally. In fact, most people think my father is quite dotty."<p>

They were seated across from each other at a small, round table in the Room of Requirement. Harry's fears of complete rejection had not come to pass, but he still felt unable to relax, shifting nervously back and forth in his seat. Luna, on the other hand, appeared completely at ease.

"And is he? Er, dotty?" Harry asked, and then wanted to kick himself. What a rude thing to say!

Luna shrugged. "I think he's got a very good imagination, and sometimes it runs away with him. Or maybe it doesn't. I'm never quite sure of the line between reality and fantasy."

Harry wondered if she had just admitted to being insane. He cast about for something to change the subject to. "So why did you get moved to Gryffindor?" Not that he didn't know already, but it wasn't widely known that the Headmaster was his father.

"Oh, that was because of the New Moon project," said Luna.

"New Moon?" Harry prompted.

Luna nodded, twirling a bit of pasta with her fork. "Werewolves' rights. They're heavily abused by the Death Eaters, did you know?"

Harry frowned. "They're kept in line. Have you seen what a werewolf can do to a person if he's let free?"

"No, but I've seen what happens when they're forced to hunt student sacrifices," said Luna seriously. "That's not much better, is it?"

Harry hesitated. Since Slytherins weren't up for the lottery, he had to admit he didn't have much experience concerning the sacrifices, but all the same, he'd never been completely comfortable with it. "Er…"

"Did you know that the reason for the sacrifices is to make sure the werewolves keep breeding?" Luna continued. "Our people managed to interrogate one of the breeders. Actually, that program is run by the Lestrange brothers, Rabastan and Rodolphus. You might ask Lavinia Lestrange about it."

"I doubt Lavinia keeps tabs on that sort of thing," said Harry dryly, but inwardly he wondered if he should ask anyway. Surely the Dark Lord wouldn't be cruel enough to _breed_ werewolves? What would that accomplish, anyway?

"I suppose, but I don't know her as well as you do."

There was a moment of silence, which felt very awkward to Harry, but Luna didn't seem to notice it. Instead, she finished her food and then sat back, humming under her breath.

"Did you… did you have a good time tonight?" Harry asked after a long moment.

Luna smiled at him. "Yes, it was very nice. I like this room, how did you find it?"

"Sort of a family secret," said Harry with a crooked smile. "Maybe one day I'll let you in on it."

They stood up at the same time, Harry tapping the table with his wand to let the house-elf know it was time to clear the dishes. As the plates and leftovers disappeared, he found himself suddenly standing very close to Luna, close enough that he could smell the sweet scent of her hair – something flowery that he couldn't quite place.

"We should do this again," she said, and he could feel her breath sweep across his neck.

He cleared his throat. "Yeah, uh, I'd like that. Maybe… next Saturday? Best to have it on a weekend, so classes don't get in the way."

"That's a good idea," said Luna, with the same utter seriousness she'd used when talking about the werewolf sacrifices.

This was the part Harry had been dreading. Was he supposed to kiss her? If it had been Lavinia or Callista, the answer would be yes, but Luna was, as he'd told Theo, quite different.

And then she was kissing him.

It wasn't a long kiss, just a peck really, but there she was, standing on tiptoe to reach his lips with hers, and then she walked out the door, leaving him completely stunned.

* * *

><p>"How did it go?" Theo asked.<p>

Harry flopped back onto his bed and grinned up at the canopy. "I think she likes me."


End file.
